Musical instrument



Feb. 16, 1954 P. SHKLAR 2,669,150

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f7? M67760)" Paw s/v/f/ar Feb. 16, 1954 LA 2,669,150-

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

f7? i/enzror' Fau/ Shk/a'r y M w 775 fitter/Ways Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments, having particular reference to fluid or wind operated instruments which produce musical tones by means of tone producing elements, selectively and consecutively arranged in predetermined relation in a traversing member, said elements being so. chosen, for example, that when arranged in such relation they will substantially automatically beadapted to play a musical composition, and the provision, of such a device is a principal object of the invention.

A general object of the invention is to provide such a musical instrument which is economic of manufacture, is simple and substantially automatically operable, and adapted for use by anyone to operate without having any special musical talent or musical education.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a musical instrument having a framewith a traversing member mounted thereon and a plurality of tone producing elements selectively but removably positioned in the traversing member in consecutive order and adapted to provide musical tones, a conduit for the passage of a fluid mounted upon the frame in such a manner that the tone producing elements in the traversing member, when brought into alignment with the conduit, will permit the passage therethrough of the fluid, preferably wind-blown, to produce a musical sound, and mechanism cooperatively associated with the traversing member for actuating the latter.

Other specific objects of the invention are the provision .of such a musical instrument in which the frame is provided with a circuitous track, preferably forming a rectilinear traverse in configuration about the periphery of the frame; in which the traversing member constitutes a web or its equivalent, including a flexible, endless belt or chain having openings therein adapted removably to receive tone producing elements, the web,,if such is used, being adapted to carry selfexpanding or contracting grummets to receive the. tone producing elements; in which the tone producing elements preferably comprise a plurality; of whistles of novel construction particularly in that they provide actuating means for the traversing. member; an actuating mechanism, preferably constituting a gear and escapement device cooperatively connecting the traversing member, the samebeing operated by at least one manually operable finger controlled key; and, a conduit for the passage of fluid preferably comprising ablowpipe: with which each. whistle adapted to be brought: intocommunicatibn at indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

l which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, partly in section and with fragmentary portions thereof broken away;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1, partly in section and with fragmentary portions thereof broken away;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a fragmentary portion broken from the center of the instrument looking in the direction of the blowpipe;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, enlarged, of a fragmentary portion of a traversing member, such as, for example, a belt having grommets adapted to receive tone producing elements such as, for example, whistles;

Fig. 6' is. a plan view, enlarged, of a fragmentary portion of a belt such as that illustrated in Fig. 5 provided with such whistles; and

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 6 taken along the line l-'l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is indicated generally at 9 a musical Wind type of instrument which I prefer to call a Playtune and which may be constructed in a simple and economic manner as a toy or in a more elabo rate manner for use as serious or practical instrument. At the outset it should be understood that such instrument preferably is constructedentirely of suitable plastic material, although itis within the contemplation of the invention to manufacture the same out of any other suitable t material.

Briefly calling attention to the various parts constituting the combination of this instrument, it will be seen that there are five in number, namely, the frame, a traversing member, tone producing elements, a conduit for the passage of fluid, and an actuating mechanism, each of which is indicated generally at I 0, H, [2, I3 and M. More specifically, these various structural features entering into the combination as illustrated may be termed the frame, the belt, the whistles, the blowpipe, and the actuating mechanism of device.

The frame it, preferably is skeletal in construction being provided with peripheral tracks I5. These tracks are circuitous, preferably forming a skeletal structure which is in the form of a rectilinear traverse. At the ends of the frame there may be provided suitable gripping handles 16 and I7.

Mounted to slide within and around the peripheral track portion it of the frame In is the traversing member i I. As above indicated, preferably, this member comprises a plastic belt l8 having cut-out portions in the form of a rhomboid indicated generally at I 9. Fitted within the cut-out portions are grommets 26 which, because each has a segment thereof removed as indicated at 2i, are expansible and constructed to receive the whistles l2. Expansion of the grommets is permitted because of the rhomboid shape of the cut-out portions of the belt. These grommets may be made of metal although plastic elements may be utilized if desired. In view of the fact that the whistles 52 preferably are made of plastic, it will readily be appreciated that they can easily be advanced along the track I of the frame iii which is also preferably made of plastic because of the natural lubricating qualities of such materials largely due to the escape of the plasticizer therefrom.

The whistles i2 are quite novel in construction. They each comprise a chamber 22 formed by side walls and end walls 24 adapted to communicate with the blowpipe as will more fully appear hereinafter. The top of the chamber 22 of each whistle i2 is provided with a top wall 25 provided with an elongated aperture 26 having depending therefrom within the chamber a tongue 2?. The bottom wall 28 of the chamber is thickened to provide a depending portion or lug 29 each of which provides an inserting element for the belt as well as a tooth for the actuating mechanism also more fully described hereinafter. It will be observed that these lugs 28 have rounded shoulders 30 (see Fig. 4) so that the whistles l2 when inserted into the grommets 28, may expand the latter and be temporarily or removably snapped interlockingly into position. It is within the contemplation of the invention to make traversing members with the whistle fixed or non-removable therein.

The conduit it comprises a mouth piece or blowpipe portion 3i having an opening 32 therein in communication with the chamber 22 which in turn communicates with the amplifying horn 33 by means of the aperture 2% and the whistle 52 as each whistle is consecutively brought in a step-by-step advance into alignment with the opening 32 in the blowpipe portion 3! by the actuating mechanism it which is cooperatively associated with the traverse member. The blowpipe 3! and horn 33 combination is removably mounted in any suitable manner as illustrated centrally oi the frame and across thetop of the upper traverse or track i5.

Any suitable type of actuating mechanism may be employed, aside from advancing the traversing member manually. For example, a spring wound automatic device may be strategically situated anywhere within the frame It! to be operated by a release after the spring has properly been wound. However, for purposes of illustration there is shown an actuating mechanism which comprises a gear 3d journaled in the frame it and meshed with the lugs 230i each whistle whereby the traversing member can be advanced. One suitable arrangement of doing this, as shown in the drawing, is to provide a sprocket 35 secured adjacent the gear ed to rotate the gear in a clockwise manner as observed from Fig. 2. This may be accomplished by a ratchet or escapement type of device having a hooked ring 35 connected to a pivotally mounted link 33 by means of a connecting rod as. The link 33 is urged to retracting position by means of a spring ill against a stop M, the link being actuated by a finger key 22. Obviously, one or more of such keys can be utilized with any suitable type of actuating mechanism to move the traversing member I I in either direction and preferably in a circuitous route. For this reason it will be observed that the belt i3 is of the endless type and connected at its end by means of a pin (see Fig. 7) passing through interfitting portions of the belt.

While the instrument herein described is primarily intended to be operated as a mouth organ or harmonica, any type of bellow may be utilized for the purpose. It will be understood that it is within the contemplation of the invention to utilize an actuating mechanism which is directly associated with the traverse member or belt I3 but for present purposes I desire that this be done in the manner above described.

In arranging any particular musical composition or melody which it is desired to play, resort is had to a large number of such tone producing elements or whistles each of which is marked with its corresponding tune. It will be understood that the entire device can be small or large. Obviously, for a toy type of instrument it should be made of a smaller number, approximately 50, and for a larger and more practical instrument it would be made to accommodate a large amount of tone whistles, about or more. The tunes are established by the different lengths of openings, 25, the tongues 21, and chambers 2 3, which are the same for the same tuned and same marked whistles. In setting up the instrument the proposed tone whistles are selectively chosen and arranged in consecutive order in the grommets 28, the belt mounted in position in the track H of the frame i5 and the blowpipe I3 thereafter fixed in position as illustrated whereupon the instrument is ready for use. While the whistles are selectively arranged, the timing is left to the player which can be accomplished by any musical ability which he might have, or by reference to conventional music or specially simplified music arranged for the purpose.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and eficiently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and difierent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A musical instrument comprising an elongated frame; a belt-like element mounted in said frame to move longitudinally thereof and provided with longitudinally equi-spaced means adapted to have fluid-actuated, tone-producing elements detachably secured thereto; a conduit of restricted cross-sectional area mounted on said frame and extending transversely of said belt-like element for conveying a fluid under pressure; and manually actuated means for moving said belt to bring said tone-producing elements, when secured thereto, consecutively into said conduit to be actuated by the fluid flowing therethrough.

2. A musical instrument comprising an elongated frame; a conduit mounted upon and extending transversely of said frame for conveying a fluid under pressure therethrough; a belt, having a plurality of fluid-actuated, tone-producing elements secured in equi-longitudinally spaced relation thereto, mounted to move longitudinally of said frame and carry said tone-producing elements consecutively into and through said conduit; and manually actuated means for moving said belt for consecutively positioning said tone-producing elements within said conduit to be actuated by the fluid flowing therethrough.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 in which said belt is provided With equi-spaced teeth; and said manually actuated means includes a gear cooperating with said teeth.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2 in which said belt is provided with the same number of teeth as the number of tone-producing elements thereon; and said manually actuated means 00- operates With said teeth to move said belt a distance equal to the pitch of said teeth at each actuation thereof.

PAUL SHKLAR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 400,123 Schoenner Mar. 26, 1889 2,479,738 Goldstein et a1. Aug. 23, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 31,775 Germany June 10, 1885 8,857 Great Britain Apr. 13, 1889 

